Building on Hope Accepting Submissions for Non-Profit Renovation Project

New Hampshire non-profits encouraged to apply for renovation of facility

Manchester, NH – New Hampshire non-profits have a unique opportunity to get a major helping hand, as Building On Hope announces its search for the next non-profit to receive an extreme makeover-style renovation. Building on Hope, an organization of New Hampshire volunteers including designers, architects, suppliers and builders, is accepting letters of interest through December 14 from in-state, non-profit organizations in need of physical improvements to a facility it operates. Since the group formed in 2009, Building On Hope has completed $4.1 million in renovations to five New Hampshire organizations including Easterseals NH, Girls Inc., Opportunity Networks, Manchester Police Athletic League (MPAL) and the Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire (CCCNH) through donated goods and labor.

“We started out as a group of friends wanting to make a small difference in our community. Five projects, thousands of volunteer hours and nearly ten years later, I’m still in awe of the generosity and dedication we’ve seen from the hundreds of volunteers that sign on to help their communities,” said Karen Van Der Beken, co-chair of Building on Hope. “This has been an inspiring journey and we’re excited to begin the selection process for our sixth project.”

To meet the criteria, the organization must be a 501c3 charitable organization, own its facility and be located within 20 miles of Manchester. To be considered for Building on Hope’s sixth renovation project, organizations must compose a letter describing the non-profit’s mission and programs, and how they benefit the community. The letter should explain the renovation work that is needed, and how a remodeled structure could transform the organization and its services. All letters should be emailed to Karen Van Der Beken at kvanderbeken@eastersealsnh.org by December 14, 2018. Non-profits that meet the criteria will later be asked to fill out a formal application provided by Building on Hope.

Every two years, Building On Hope has taken on a new challenge, rallying volunteers, gathering resources and focusing attention on a project selected for its potential to create enduring positive change for the immediate community and the state as a whole.

In May 2018, more than 400 volunteers and 280 companies organized by Building On Hope collaborated on a $500,000 effort to transform CCCNH’s emergency shelter in Concord, NH. CCCNH, the only agency exclusively dedicated to working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Merrimack County, supports individuals to make positive changes in their lives and become independent members of their community. CCCNH’s 120-year-old building had outdated systems and an inefficient floor plan. Upon completion of Building on Hope’s renovation, the shelter’s capacity nearly doubled from four bedrooms with 13 beds to seven bedrooms with 23 beds; and the shelter was equipped with a brand new security monitoring system, mechanical system, windows, exterior siding, interior flooring, brand new furniture and more. The emergency shelter is now wheelchair accessible with a lift on the porch and an ADA-compliant kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Most of the rooms in the house are bedrooms for survivors furnished with serene colors, new bedding, custom shelving, desks and storage space. Building on Hope’s renovation allowed CCCNH to move its staff office to a separate location and begin operations at its new Center for Survivor Support, an expansion plan CCCNH believed was years away from reality.

Other projects include:

• 2010: Easterseals NH – Building on Hope’s inaugural project was a $350,000 renovation of the Easterseals NH Intensive Residential Treatment Facility. Located in Manchester, the Krol House is home to boys who, for any number of reasons, cannot live with their families. Residents may have behavioral problems, learning disabilities and other setbacks. Many have had severely traumatic life experiences along the way, but they come to the Krol House because they are working through those problems and have plans for a better future. Building on Hope generated national attention from Parade Magazine and PepsiCo for the remodeling, landscape, redesign and refurnishing work.
• 2012: Girls Inc. – The Manchester Girls Inc. headquarters was in need of major renovations to better serve the hundreds of girls and their families participating in its programs. The $600,000 project involved a new roof, an air conditioning system, playground, extensive program enhancements and a completely new kitchen and dining area.
• 2014: Opportunity Networks – At its core, Opportunity Networks in Amherst is committed to providing vocational opportunities and activities that promote life-enhancing skills for adults with developmental and acquired disabilities in the Greater Nashua/Souhegan Valley community. The $850,000 project centered around the dreams that the Opportunity Network Board and staffs’ dreams to provide additional services and value to their clients. Building on Hope created a fully interactive theatre, library, art space, commercial kitchen, movement room, computer lab, renovated offices and a ‘snoozelen room.’
• 2016: Manchester Police Athletic League (MPAL) – MPAL’s Michael Briggs Community Center in Manchester encourages positive relationships between law enforcement and young people through fitness and after-school programming. The $1.8 million renovation of the 16,000-square-foot, 105-year-old facility was Building on Hope’s largest undertaking. A total of 17 rooms, including a state-of-the-art kitchen, homework room, game room, workout areas, offices and more, were transformed to create an open, light space complete with new furnishings and positive and inspirational messages throughout the facility.

Please visit www.buildingonhope.com to learn more about the organization, donate or sign up to volunteer.

About Building on Hope

Building on Hope is a community organization of hundreds of volunteers who work with builders, architects and designers to provide physical improvements to facilities associated with non-profit service groups. Since forming in 2009, Building on Hope has completed $4.1 million in community-funded, non-profit renovation projects. The steering committee consists of the following individuals: Co-chairs Jonathan Halle, Warrenstreet Architects & Karen Van Der Beken, Easterseals NH;  Sue Bee, Opportunity Networks; Stacy Clark & Tony DaCosta, Turnstone Corporation; Greg Rehm, Liberty Hill Construction; Jen Bartholomay, Fulcrum Associates; Kelly Leitner, Warrenstreet Architects; Suzanne D’Amato, Suzanne D’Amato Design LLC; Emily Shakra, Nick Shakra Real Estate; Grace Ames, Montagne Communications; Rick Broussard, New Hampshire Magazine; Lorrie Determann, LTD Company; Craig Liffner, Sullivan Construction; Dave Waldman, B2B Video; Ellie Davis Melloy, Artistic Tile, LLC; Jayna Stevens; Pam Bissonnette, Duprey Hospitality; Stephanie Ouellette; Leslie Thompson, Wal-Mart; Emma Paradis, Impeccable Nest; Brenda Baron; Rich Lambert, PROCON; and Sara Bee, Merrill Lynch. To learn more about Building On Hope please visit www.buildingonhope.com.

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